What does a U.S. representative do?
A representative serves one congressional district in the federal House. The House and Senate together make up Congress.
- Regular term
- 2 years
- Represents
- One congressional district
- Selection
- Public election
Responsibilities
- Introduce, debate, and vote on legislation.
- Consider federal taxes, spending, and oversight.
- Work on committees and help constituents navigate agencies.
- Participate in the House’s constitutional responsibilities, including impeachment charges.
Limits
One representative cannot pass a federal law alone. Most legislation requires both chambers to agree and the president to act. A representative does not govern the state or direct courts to decide individual cases.